Thermostat



July 26,- 1938.

w. w. ROBINSON THERMOS TAT Fi1ed-June 2o 193e coo-L 1 .RAD/A T/ON A AM.,

INvsNroR ATTORNEY Patented July 2s, 193s THERMOSTAT i Walter W. Robinson',` Annistomlilla.' Appumion Junezo, 193e, serial No.'v 86,283 l somma' (ci. `23e-99) My invention relates to thermostats and-more particularly to a device ofthis kind adapted for use with gas-heateddevices such as radiantV heaters, coffee urns, and the like; and contemplates i the provision of a *regulatory which actsfto maintain a room or other object beingheated at a predetermined, constant temperature.

My invention further contemplates the provi--` sion ofa device of this kind embodying `means by which the temperature of the object being heated may readily be varied'to' suit the desires ofthe operator, and then maintained constantlyat'the Chosen DOint-until manually `re`set at adiffer'ent' temperature; f

B My invention-further contemplates thev provi'-4 sion of a valve embodying -means responsivev to air pressure for controlling `a fl'ow of "gas yt'o the heating unit, togetherv with means positioned 'remote from the valvefor controlling the' operation of same. c

Briefly, my invention `comprises a` valve bodyv which is interposed in the gas intake line o1' fa' heating unit. Positioned within ythe'valve body, I provide a cylinder having a gas inlet and out'- let, and housing a flexible bag member adapted to be inflated and deflated to control the'passage of gas through the cylinder inlet; air container is adapted to be positioned remote from the valve and'provided with an air line extending D to the flexible bag member forrthe purpose of inilating and defiating same. When the air pressure within the air container increases, it acts to inflate the flexible bag member' and thereby. reduce the gas flow; and when the pressure drops 5 in the air container, the bag member is deflated to permit a greater flow of gas through the valve. The valve is provided with a by-pass for the gas to prevent a complete cut-ofi when the bag member is inflated.

l My invention embodies other novel features, details of construction, and arrangement of parts which are hereinafter set forth in the specification and claims and shown in the drawing, forming part thereof.

Apparatus embodying features of myrinvention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing,

wherein: n

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of one form of my improved control apparatus applied to a radiant gas heater;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the constructionof my improved valve for controlling the flow of gas to the heating unit;

Fig. 3 is a view of a graphic diagram which shows the function of the control apparatus; and

Fig. 4-is a sectional view showing amodifled form of my invention in which, the heat control apparatus is applied to acoifee'urn.` V t Referring now to the drawing and more par A ticularly to Figs. 1,12, and 3 therein,I show 4my "f5 improved temperature control apparatus applied to a yradiant gas heater 6 to maintaina'constant t ,temperature -withina room.Y -.In'terposedl in )the gas inlet line lis provided a valveI 8 whichi'con- .trois-the flow of `gasto the heater. #The valves-1.0`

comprises a ybody portion 9` 'having an inlet II, andl outlet I2 for connectionwith" the gas line l; A vplugr I3 is threaded-.intoonevend of the valve body and is formed with an vaperture lI4 to receive an air tube I 6.' which isheld in position by means A15 A 1111er plug` Isis securedijn` positionfon the inner end of the air tube IGKbyVmeans of a pair of nuts 1I!!` andserves to vclose the *open* endo! a y vflexiblebag-shaped"memberf2I A tube 'member v210 ,I

22 `ispi'ovided to enclose the flexible member 2| and to seal the open 'end of the flexible member against lthe filler plug I8.AV Thetube memberis" formed with aninlet 23 and an outlet through which openings gas is `adapted jto pass toxthe25 heater when rpermitted to do so bythe flexible member. The outer end of the 'tube member andv theinner tapered wall' 26 vof the" valve body de` Y fine a by-pass outlet for the gasfwh'en the flexible l member prevents a ilo'w of gas through the tube 30 member, in order that a pilot light may be' main# y tained at all times.

An aircontainer 21 is connected to the air tube I6. leading to the interior of the flexiblemember by means of an air conduit 28 which is preferably 35 formed of flexible material to permitthe free movement of the air container to various positions with respect to the heater. While the container 21 may be formed inv `any suitable shape, it is preferably formed round kwhen employed 40 with a radiant gas heater and having half of its outer surface blackened as at` 2S to provide a heat absorbing surface while thel other half oi?V the container surface is `left with a polished metallic flnish to reflect heat. c l

In the operation of the apparatusabove'described, the air container is preferably positioned a few feet in front of the heater andjin the dlrection of radiation, as illustrated in Fig. 3. When the container is thus positioned to control the operation of the valve 8, the heat radiated from the heater acts to build up an air pressure within the container and the flexible member 2Ir l until a state of equuibrium is'reached between 'the 1 y reached-a lowering of temperature in the room causes the air pressure in the .containerto fall vand* permits a greater volume of vgas to pass through thetube member 22 ydueto the deflation ofthe flexible vbag member. The `heat radiated y from the heater will thus be greater'due to the .increase in gasjavolume and :acts instantly to build upvv thejfpressure inthe container until the state of 'equilibrium has again been reached. A rise in room temperature causes a rise in air@ pressure in the container 21 and thereby inflatesV the flexible member in thevalve to lower the volume of gas passing to the heater. In actual practice, it has been found that this control ap.-k

paratuslis capable of maintaining the temperature voi a room within a variance of two degrees from .'a predetermlned'constant temperature due to itsin'stant reactionto any change in temperarection of. radlatiorn When'aV-higher,constant:temperaturev is `desired,.the heat `reilecting A.surface 3l of,` the air container lisllvpresentedY to the' heater, thereby causing theair .pressure ,-tov fall and permit :more

vgas to4 kiloyvthrough the val`ve-.8 -fto -theheater; and when ,a lower constant temperature isdesired,

' the heatr absorbing sur-Iace'gZQ is presented to the rfront offthe heater toincrease the pressure with in thecontainer'and thereby inflate the flexible 'me'xr'ibexrl to decrease the gas supply. Theconstant temperature Vof the room may also' be Araised or lowered by moyingtheair container'closer to orv *.i'artherf-from. the vheater, thereby I either increasing or .decreasing the air pressuregin the container `to controlythegsupply 'ofgas-passing.

throughthe va.l`\fre.;` g

1 e l In Fig. 3, the linen *represents the .normal rise Vimi .fall .m the'unccntroned temwawreizimmern` fout aperld ofrntwentyvv-four.Y hours; Whilevthev lines ,3L 36,1] and 31 represent vthe various. changes -o'f#constantftemperaturev arrivedqat'iby,v merely" "turning the aix-container with respect/to thegdi`` rIvn Fig. I4 in the drawing I show-amodied -form v n nl myrinventionY applied to .a lcoilfee urn '3.9: In

v ythis vform of-my invention, thevalve l isfinterposedV in Vthe gasflinedl'leading to the burner42 ananas inder.

and the airconduit 2l leads to a variable size air container 43. Anotherconduit 45 leads from the container 43 toan air container M positioned inside the coffee urn. `The operation of this apparatus is the same as that already described ex- Y cept that a change in the constant temperature .is-

aiected by manually rotating the cam member I6 to vary the size ofthe container 43 andtherebyi increase or decrease the the system. l

air pressure .within 1- .It wm thus be seen that 1 ,have invented@ im;

proved temperature control apparatus which may readily be adapted for use with many different types o1' gas-heated devices in which it is desirable to quickly arrive at a predetermined temperaturevandto maintain said temperature constant ir a considerable length of time. n

While InhaveY shown` my invention in'` but two forms, it is 'obvious to those skilled'in vthe art. that it is not' so limited, but is susceptible oi various changes and modifications without` departing fromthe spirit thereof; land; `desiretherefore that only such `limitations shall be placed there:-

uponas arey imposed by the prior art.,` Y f n I claim:

1;.-A In. a .temperature regulator for` gas-Qheated'V devices having-ai gas inlet, 8' Valve bodyinter'` po'sedin the gas inlet, a valve cylinder kmounted in said valve body and provided with .means -de-` ning aninietand outlet for'the passage oi gas.' a ilexibler bag member disposed withinsaid valve bag member' to control thepassage of gas through passagewofl gas provided between the valve body cylinder, means for inilating and deilating said .saidvalve cylinder, ahy-pass openinglfor the n y andthe valvel cylinder,r and :meansiormovingl the vvalve'cylinder-with respect tothe valve-body, f ytoregulatethe by-pass opening. c

2. A device accordingto claimkl in vile'xible bag member is elongated in form'jand extends substantiallythe lengthof the valve cyl- Adevice according toclairnA ,-1 in `which,the means for iniiating and deatng the flexible bag lmember to, control the passage of gas through the valve,y cylinder i comprises Y, ailud containery disposed adjacent the device being heated.

. WALTER W. nonni-son.' n -f 

